Police Warn Against Celebratory Gunfire

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Police in coastal Georgia are reminding gun owners not to fire weapons into the air during New Year’s Eve celebrations.

In a statement, Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Chief Joseph Lumpkin said the circumstances of 4-year-old Marquel Peters’ death in 2010 is a reminder of the danger linked to celebratory gunfire.

Peters was at church with his family near Decatur on New Year’s Eve in 2010 when a bullet that was fired into the air fell toward the ground, pierced the ceiling of the church and fatally struck the boy.

Police say celebratory gunfire has been a problem in Savannah, but a new device called ShotSpotter has been installed in some areas and will alert police seconds after shots are fired.